When the system works correctly, food is broken down so that nutrients can be absorbed and unwanted products excreted. It is important to note that the words ‘intestine’ and ‘bowel’ are interchangeable. Approximately seven litres of fluid are secreted by the digestive system and its accessory organs each day. To do this it produces and utilises a variety of enzymes and other substances that aid digestion (breaking food down to smaller molecules).įood takes around two hours to pass through the stomach, two hours to pass through the small intestine and 20 hours through the large intestine and into the rectum the length of the digestive tube from mouth to anus is 9 metres on average.
The role of the digestive system is to turn food and liquid into the building blocks that the body needs to function effectively. You'll need to take them every day for at least 4 weeks to see any beneficial effect.The Digestive System runs from the mouth to the anus and includes the stomach, the large and small intestines and a number of accessory organs, including the salivary glands, liver, gallbladder and pancreas. You can take probiotics as supplements available from health food shops, or in live yoghurt, which is a good natural source. They have been linked to all sorts of digestive health benefits, including helping irritable bowel syndrome and traveller's diarrhoea. Probiotics are so-called "friendly bacteria" that are also found naturally in the gut. If you cannot do without your coffee or tea, limit your intake to 1 or 2 cups a day. To make digestive problems less likely, choose drinks that are not fizzy and do not contain caffeine, such as herbal teas, milk and plain water.
Choose the right drinks to ease digestionĭrinks with caffeine, such as coffee, colas, tea and some fizzy drinks, boost acid in the stomach, leading to heartburn in some people.įizzy drinks in general tend to bloat the tummy, which can also lead to heartburn. Try to stay away from foods and drinks that trigger your digestive symptoms. Keep a food diary to work out which foods cause your symptoms. Acidic foods, such as tomatoes, citrus fruits, salad dressings and fizzy drinks, can trigger heartburn, while wheat and onions may cause irritable bowel syndrome.Īnd if you cannot digest lactose, the sugar in milk, you'll develop wind and diarrhoea after drinking milk or eating dairy products, including cream, cheese, yoghurt and chocolate. Some people find particular foods cause them problems. If you already have a problem like heartburn or an irritable bowel, avoid them completely. If spicy foods give you heartburn, stomach pain or diarrhoea, go easy on them in future. Milder but flavourful foods like garlic and onion can also bring it on.
It's not just scorching hot foods like chillies that trigger heartburn. Others find their tummy is upset when they have spicy food. Many people love spicy food and it does not bother their digestive system. Try to eat more lean meat and fish, drink skimmed or semi-skimmed milk, and grill rather than fry foods. Learn how to choose healthier drinks Cut down on fat for a healthy gutįatty foods, such as chips, burgers and fried foods, are harder to digest and can cause stomach pain and heartburn.Ĭut back on greasy fried foods to ease your stomach's workload. Without fluid, the fibre cannot do its job and you'll get constipation.Ī good way to make sure you're getting enough fluids is to drink a glass of water with every meal. Avoid caffeine drinks as they can cause heartburn. It encourages the passage of waste through your digestive system and helps soften poo.įibre acts like a sponge, absorbing water. It's important to keep drinking, especially water. If that's the case, get your fibre from fruit and vegetables instead. Some people find cereals and grains bring on bloating and irritable bowel syndrome. A diet rich in fibre can help digestion and prevent constipation.Īim for the recommended dietary intake of 30g of fibre a day.įor a healthy bowel, you need fibre from a variety of sources, such as: It's a good idea to try to eat more fibre or roughage, as most people in the UK do not get enough.
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